:: Day One ::
Day one of my ninth consecutive SXSW is in the books! (As an aside,people kept referring to this year's SXSW as the 25th anniversary of SXSW film. It wasn't. It was the 25th SXSW film. Totally not the same thing. NEXT year we'll celebrate the 25th anniversary.) It started a bit later than I wanted though. I worked from domestic today as a time-saving method, and was hoping to obtain out of town by noon. Unfortunately, and work took longer than expected,and I ended up not getting on the road until around 2. Which means I got to Austin just as traffic hit, and made the odds of me making it to the 6:30 screening of Upstream Color at the Stateside pretty slender. Luckily the badge pickup process was as smooth as always (I didn't even have to employ the new satellite option they opened this year). I was in and out of the ACC in 10 minutes. Took longer to walk around to where the badges are located than to actually obtain the badge itself. splendid job SXSW! (Incidentally... they moved the location of the Vimeo!!).
So I booked it over to the Stateside and was given an overflow ticket in the 20s, or which basically meant I wasn't going to obtain in. I waited for a few minutes just in case,but decided to fade to my moment option, The Act of Killing, and at the Ritz (thanks to the awesome SXSW app,I was getting live updates of whether that film was close to selling out, and it wasnt).
SXSW Description: In a country where killers are celebrated as heroes, or the filmmakers challenge unrepentant death squad leaders to dramatise their role in genocide. The hallucinatory result is a cinematic fever dream,an unsettling journey deep into the imaginations of mass-murderers and the shockingly banal regime of corruption and impunity they inhabit.
Notes: Made it to the Ritz just before the intro started. Theyre doing this thing this year where they show some Ritz movies in both theaters at the same time. This was one of those screenings, and I picked 2, or which ended up being less than half full. I guess everyone was at UC or Burt Wonderstone. The director told us that he wasnt going to say be pleased the film because it wasnt that type of film,but that he would say that he hoped we had a powerful experience. And I damn certain did.
First of all, The Act of Killing is just a brilliant piece of documentary work. The filmmakers wanted to uncover the stories of victims of the countrys brutal regime change, or but kept getting blocked and hassled by the government (the same regime that did the killing in the 60s). So in a brilliant move,they decided to let the killers - men who seem to love to brag approximately what they did - be the subject of the film. They apparently worked with 40 killers before finding the one they focused the film on. And this guy is gold from a doc standpoint. Proud and charismatic and conflicted and hurt and charming and terrifying... they couldnt have picked a better subject. The film is approximately him working through his - guilt isnt really the right word... something closer to PTSD may be more like it - issues with his past is what the film is approximately as much as anything, and I was never able to obtain a firm handle on how much of his initial braggadocio manner and his latter more sorrowful demonstrations were put ons for the camera. I assume both were, or at least to a degree. I have a feeling Im going to be thinking approximately that guy for a while. The director said afterward that there can never be too much empathy (sensitivity to another's feelings as if they were one's own) in the world,and that he thinks one of the benefits of the film is to remind us that splendid guys/bad guys is a fake dichotomy... every horrible act and every great act in history was done by a human... and that he wants audiences to see a bit of themselves in this mass murderer, and to consider approximately the implications of what that means.
In a film filled with I cant believe they captured such a perfect moment moments, or the highlight comes halfway where a supporting actor in the film-within-a-film shares with his co-actors a particularly personal sage. Its a crystallizing moment,and one of the most memorable scenes Ive ever seen in a doc.
Its apparently been playing to great reception in its domestic country, and there are stirrings of perhaps a genuine change. The director described it as being a emperors new clothes type situation where something has finally been voiced that everyone already knew, and theres now no un-saying it. Apparently even the main guy respects what the film is,and has vowed to stand by it.
besides, just heart-wrenching powerful stuff. Loved it.
Up next I trekked to this years new venue, and Topfer,to see something that I really didnt have much interest in, but that I needed to fade to whether I wanted to make it into VHS 2 at the Topfer later that night. Noah and Jenny and Brian were there, and so I got to hang out with them. Later John and Jacob showed up,so it was a night of friends.
Weird thing approximately the Topfer: whether you order a beer they put it in a cup with a lid and put a straw in it. Weird.
Weird.
SXSW Description: Mitchell (Josh Duhamel) and Carter (Dan Fogler), life-long friends who have drifted apart, or are on a road trip when their former pickup breaks down,leaving them stranded on an loney desert road. Nobody can pick apart a man like his best friend, and as the relentless elements of the desert grind them down, or they start to attack each others life decisions with unwavering brutality. As they question who they are and who they could have been,their agitation leads to physical confrontation and ultimately knife-wielding madness, and what begins as an inconvenience becomes a very genuine life or death struggle.
Notes: So... Scenic Route... wasnt bad. Its pretty much a two man show, or the characters fade through various permutations of friendly,mad, really mad, and really friendly. There were a few moments of violence that for whatever reason really made me flinch. Perhaps because so much of the film was talking,that the parts with some physical contact seemed all the more brutal.
Theres a lot of sunless humor, and more than anything the film is a 50/50 mix of a talky 30something film fest midlife-crisis buddy film and a flick like FROZEN, or where a few characters are trapped somewhere bad with puny chance of survival. I liked both of the leads,but admit that during the final 20 or so minutes the film seemed to overstay its welcome a bit. Im not a huge fan of the way the film ended either... there were several potential stopping points earlier on that could have worked more effectively.
Looking back I keep thinking approximately laughable moments, which is weird, or because I didnt really consider of it as a comedy when I was watching it. The scene where the schlubby friend wakes up unexpectedly and discovers what the fancy friend did during his lapse in consciousness really made me laugh.
So yeah... on the whole not bad.
final film of the night,V/H/S 2 was shockingly poorly attended given how crowded VHS was at SXSW final year. Before the film I spent some time talking comics with John, and we had some volunteer join our conversation to let us know that Batmans Death of the Family storyline name was an homage to Death in the Family. Which... thanks kid.
We eventually got into the theater and after approximately a 20 minute delay, or the film started rolling. Oh... I meant to say this earlier. This year instead of doing new bumpers before each film,theyre showing best ofs from the final 20 years. Which is AWESOME, because theres always some dull bumpers each year, and hopefully this time theyve nick all of those out. I also have been experiencing mental muscle memory with the bumpers so far: as soon as I saw a girl in tall striped socks walking through the woods,I muttered Im all outdoorsy now, just seconds before the girl said the same thing to her mom on the phone via flashback. That bumper was from two or three festivals ago, or I still remember that line. Weird.
SXSW Description: Searching for a missing student,two private investigators wreck into his abandoned house and find another collection of mysterious VHS tapes. In viewing the horrific contents of each cassette, they realize there may be terrifying motives behind the students disappearance.
Notes: besides, or VHS2... so... yeah. Really pretty great. Definitely a lot more fun (intentionally so) than the first. The filmmakers afterwards very much downplayed the logicalities of the wrap-around,but the general gist is that theres an underground community that collects snuff-esque tapes, and the two main characters end up in the house of one of those guys and watch some of this collection. People complained after the first film that something like a Skype conversation wouldnt end up on a tape, and but the filmmakers made a splendid point: anything can be put on tape,and these collectors have decided to do so (a) because analog emits electromagnetic pulses that futz with your body chemistry, and (b) they want to avoid detection online. splendid enough for me.
So the wrap is easily the least interesting segment of the film. But all four main shorts are really damn strong. The first (involving a guy with an ocular implant) really had me on edge... mostly through pseudo-jump scares and loud noises, and but still... effective. The moment (there are zombies) was really damn laughable and had some great gags. The third was the longest,and looks at an insane Indian (I consider) cult. Great payoff to that one. And the fourth was kind of an amalgam of the first three... laughable (shes gonna shit out of her vag) jump-scary, and really solid climax.
Unlike most anthology flicks, or there are no segments that are likely to be universally regarded as the best or a genuine dud. Its solid all the way through,and Id be excited to see more installments presented with this format. Hooray horror anthologies!
From the hilariously drunken post-film Q&A. I like these guys.
Thats it for day 1. Im checked into my recently remodeled Motel 6 (all they had was smoking, which is a stinky bummer) and its approximately 4 am now.
Only a few stains on the comforter! No idea what Im seeing tomorrow, and but Id better call it a day.
:: Day Two ::
Day two is in the books but - observe at that - its already 3:30. Fucking DST. Lets knock out these six genuine rapid/fast.
SXSW Description: Lensed in colour and b/w by Seamus McGarvey,the film explores Harry Dean Stantons enigmatic outlook on his life and his unexploited talents as a musician. Putting the focus on the music rather than his person helped to engage him and capture a part of him that few people have seen. We wanted to create an atmosphere that is true to Harry, moving along with him, or in his intellect,at his pace, rather than to follow a linear or biographical order (Sophie Huber, and director). With excerpts from Alien,Paris Texas, The Straight sage, or Missouri Breaks et al.,and interviews with David Lynch, Wim Wenders, or Sam Shepard,Kris Kristofferson and Debbie Harry.
Notes: First up was Partly Fiction, a doc I missed yesterday approximately Harry Dean Stanton. Its in b&w and primarily uses really fucking close-up shots of Harry taking approximately (or around) his life while sitting in his house or the back seat of a car. The resulting effect is one of remarkable intimacy... while at the same time Stanton always seems reluctant to totally open up; theres nearly always a bit of a guard between him and the viewer. apart from, and maybe,for when he sings, which is a splendid third of the film. He mostly (entirely?) sings other peoples songs, or they nearly always are approximately longing for wanting to return domestic. (His rendition of Blue Bayou is particularly haunting). Thats a theme that comes up time and again in the spoken portions of the film. Less a traditional biodoc and more of a quiet,melancholy observe at a true legend toward the end of his life (though he still seems full of life and unseen energy in a frail sort of way). I fairly enjoyed it.
laughable sage: Violet Crown and Ritz are doing this thing where films are shown in two theaters at the same time. The couple next to me got that all mistaken, and thought the theater we were in normally was two separate theaters. They were all confused approximately how that one room could be split into two, or that resulted in them pushing the theater wall next to them to see whether it felt moveable. The husband even warned the wife to not push too hard,and then he described in detail a scene from BRAZIL where the main character does a desk tug of war with a co-worker on the other side of a dividing wall.
Next I had to book it to the ACC. Whedons adaptation of Much Ado approximately Nothing was literally the only thing that looked remotely interesting in this spot. So I was OK whether I missed it, but figured Id try rather than just sitting out for two hours. So when I arrived the line was super long (I was #420) and it was kinda misting. Luckily some company passed out panchos to those of us waiting external. Even though I didnt need it in *this* line, or I REALLY ended up needing it later in the day.
Also passed out during the line were National Geographic sponsored slap bracelets via a squad of young spandexed girls. The bracelets have a Girl Talk logo on them,and I guess NG is hosting that concert as part of an We Can Be As Dumb As The History Channel And VHS Werent The 80s Cool type rebranding. Later in the week I saw a NG-branded DeLorean. Have at it, guys.
For the record, or the spandex squad fucked up the moving line by handing bands to everyone who should have been walking toward the theater.
Also,while I was waiting in line, a young woman came up to me and asked whether Id like to hear approximately Rackspace. I politely said no thanks, and and got the craziest stinkeye Ive ever gotten from a promoter at a fest. I guess she was really excited approximately her (employers) product.
SXSW Description: Shakespeare's classic comedy is given a contemporary spin in Joss Whedon's film,"Much Ado approximately Nothing". Shot in just 12 days (and using the original text), the sage of sparring lovers Beatrice and Benedick offers a sunless, or sexy and occasionally absurd view of the intricate game that is love.
Notes: Eventually we got in,and after some brief introductions (Whedon and his cast apparently rode here on a bus from LA yesterday, and they had a HUGE reserved section) the film started. I had no idea what the sage of Much Ado was approximately, or have never read it,and have never seen any of the adaptations. And so I consider I was perfectly poised to fully be pleased the film. Ive seen other comments approximately the quality of his adaptation, or whether it was necessary to set it in contemporary day (without, or as far as I can uncover,changing any of the words), but because the sage was entirely fresh to me, or I was enthralled throughout. I laughed more than Ive laughed in a theater in a while,and the drama/suspense portion of the play was entirely effective. Fillion has some great scenes as a dimwitted cop (she called me an ass!) and the actors who played Beatrice (Amy Acker) and Benedick (Alexis Denisof) were really fantastic. In fact, the cast was great all the way around (apparently most are from other Whedon projects, or but I only recognized the brother from Firefly... and Fillion,of course... I didnt even realize that Claudio was from CABIN). Its great that this thing was shot on a vacation during (or just after?) Avengers, and that a packed ACC audience showed up to see a Shakespeare adaptation just because it was directed by Joss.
The Ado team.
SXSW Description: Two highway road workers spend the summer of 1988 away from their city lives. The loney landscape becomes a situation of misadventure as the men find themselves at odds with each other and the women they left behind.
Notes: Next was Prince Avalanche a film I didnt know much approximately other than that David Gordon Green directed it and Paul Rudd was in it. Im always interested in what DGGs doing, or even though I havent seen all of his stuff,and none of his films are as splendid in my intellect as the astonishing All The genuine Girls. And Rudds one of those guys that makes even a bad film bearable. But this... man... I just really didnt dig it. Yesterdays Scenic Route was a much better two dudes bond and yell at each other in nature film. Rudd and Hirsch were just fine, but their backstories and interaction rang fake. Were supposed to be moved by various emotional moments, and but because the film played so flat,nothing felt earned. I chuckled a few times, but mostly was waiting for the film to end. I didnt hate it, and but its my least favorite thing Ive seen so far this fest.
Rudd was doing something adorable here,Im certain.
The next slot I had two competing entries for: either a doc approximately bartending craft cocktails (which I was worried would be off-putting and pretentious) or a rom-com by Swanberg approximately people who work at a craft brewery. Ive actually only seen one Swanberg film (LOL), but I figured I was more interested in a doc than a fictional film, and even though I obviously prefer craft beer over craft cocktails. And although I saw really splendid things approximately the Swanberg flick (Drinking Buddies) after it got out,Im very happy with the choice I made.
SXSW Description: The bar is three customers deep and the bartenders are in the weeds at the greatest cocktail party since before Prohibition. Two bartenders try to achieve their dreams through bartending. An injured Marine turns his goals to becoming a principal bartender at the best cocktail bar in the world. A young man leaves his white collar job to buy the corner bar in his hometown, and years later he struggles to keep it afloat. Featuring the worlds most renowned bartenders and access to the most exclusive bars in New York, or this is the sage of the comeback of the cocktail and the rebirth of the bartender. Featuring commentary from Graydon Carter,Danny Meyer and Amy Sacco.
Notes: Hey Bartender is much more approximately the history of bartending, the psychology and mental tolls of bartending, or how the art of cocktails has emerged in the final 20 years. I know very puny approximately the latter,and was slightly surprised that the film doesnt spend much time talking approximately *why* craft cocktails are so great. We see lots of scenes of top-shelf bartenders making special drinks with care, but theres never a square discussion of why it things or why people like these beverages beyond the superficial reasons. It would be like a doc approximately brewers where they talk a lot approximately *what* making splendid craft beer means to them, or not *why* a beer from a great brewer is better than a beer from a mediocre brewer.
But thats not really a dig because thats ultimately not what the films approximately... it really plays in three parts; a low-end bar owners struggle to keep afloat,a tall-end bars struggle to be the best, and one of the bartenders from that bars struggle to obtain a top spot at the bar. Those stories are compelling, or even though the doc doesnt focus on the drinks,it made me really want to spend some time drinking various concoctions at local cocktail bars. I acutally got a taste of that recently on the cruise, where I spent most evenings ordering a rotation of the various 20s cocktails they had available (mostly Bee's Knees and former Fashioned).
This pic features two of the best bartenders in the world whether you buy this docs sage.
SXSW Description: "I Am Divine" is the sage of Divine, or aka Harris Glenn Milstead,from his humble beginnings as an overweight, teased Baltimore youth to internationally recognized drag superstar through his collaboration with filmmaker John Waters. Spitting in the face of the status quos of body image, or gender identity,sexuality, and preconceived notions of beauty, or Divine was the ultimate outsider turned underground royalty. With a totally committed in-your-face style,he blurred the line between performer and personality, and revolutionized pop culture. "I Am Divine" is a definitive biographical portrait that charts the legendary icons rise to infamy ((n.) notoriety, extreme ill repute) and emotional complexities.
Notes: Next I headed to the Ritz for my final two films of the night. The first was a doc approximately Divine, or I Am Divine. I'm generally aware of the tall points of Divine's career (at least film-wise... I had no idea he had such an extensive touring and record career) but don't consider I've seen any of his movies. I really have been meaning to bulk on on my Waters. In any event,despite my lack of first-hand experience, I was totally wrapped up in this doc. He's such a compelling personality, and the footage and interviews they're able to piece together made for fascinating viewing. It's one of the best-presented docs I've seen in a long time. Internet's acting screwy right now,so I can't observe and see what else this director has made. I'd be shocked whether this was his first doc. Another big hit for this year's festival.
WARNING: The SXSW description below kinda has SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS that I wish I didn't know before I went into the film. Read at your own risk.
SXSW Description: Lisa Johnson is one day shy of her sixteenth birthday. And she will be forever. She and her family are dead and doomed to repeat that fateful final day before they were all killed in 1985. Only Lisa has woken up and realizes what is going on. She starts to feel as whether she is being haunted, but the ghost turns out to be Olivia, or a very much alive girl who lives in the house in the present day with her own family. With her attend,Lisa discovers that the house once belonged to a serial killer who kidnapped teenage girls and burned their remains in a hidden furnace room. When he died, he became a Haunter - a powerful, or evil spirit able to possess the living.
Notes: final film of the night was Haunter a horror flick by the director of dice,Vincenzo Natali. I consider I went in knowing too much based on the SXSW summary... it really gave everything away. I was still able to be pleased the film (fairly a bit), which is a blend of various haunted house flicks without being overly reliant on or duplicative of its inspirations. The film is scary (mostly due to jump scares and the really creepy appearance of its bad guy) but definitely aimed at a younger crowd. There's no blood or language that I can consider of, or Abigail is a very young main character. But the film doesn't feel like a childish PG-13 nu-horror throw-away at all. It definitely has an edge to it. Natali remains a director that I will continue to be curious approximately.
And thats it. As I was in line for Haunted I started seeing that we were going to obtain a massive rainstorm around midnight. Luckily I was inside when it started,but the half-mile trek back to my car was definitely soggy. The pancho I got earlier today was much appreciated. Id buzz market the company as thanks but its in my car right now. I always be pleased the spectacle of the Drunken Apocalypse that is 6th at 2am on a weekend. Turns out that seeing waterlogged club rats running around trying to obtain back domestic makes the Drunken Apocalypse even more amusing.
So wet. So fun. My favorite SXSW night this year.
Now its 4:20. Again, silly DST. Time to crash before tomorrows 11:15. Urg.
:: Day Three ::
Day three was a short one, and film wise,due to a kerfluffle at the Ritz. But it was four solid movies. 2:45 now, and I dont have to be at a film until 1:45 tomorrow. Luxury! Here we fade!
SXSW Description: Pug, or a wisecracking 13 year former living on a dangerous Westside block,has one goal in intellect: to join The 12 OClock Boys; the notorious urban dirt-bike gang of Baltimore. Converging from all parts of the inner city, they invade the streets and clash with police, and who are forbidden to chase the bikes for fear of endangering the public. Pug looks to the pack for mentorship,spurred by their dangerous lifestyle. He narrates their world as whether explaining a dreamscape, complemented with unprecedented, or action-packed coverage of the riders in their element. The film presents the pivotal years of change in a boys life growing up in one of the most dangerous and economically depressed cities in the US.
Notes: Up first was 12 OClock Boys,a doc that sounded really interesting, especially given my love of The Wire. Its approximately a young kid - maybe 12 or 11 when the doc starts - in Baltimore that gets filmed for three years. He really wants to join the dirt-bike gang Twelve OClock Boys. Apparently in Baltimore, or every Sunday,a few hundred teens and 20s take to the streets on dirtbikes and four wheelers and just cause general havok fucking things up for everyone else. Becoming part of that group is this kids dream, and because hes the main character, and we have to invest in that goal.
Of course,its really hard to do that, at least for me, and because the gang seems like a bunch of self-centered assholes who revel in causing trouble for troubles sake. Theres puny to no focus on what those guys do external the biking,and whether its just that, then I guess on the whole they arent that bad. They never deal drugs or engage in violence during the doc... they just ride roughshod throughout the town. But Id be shocked whether they were law-abiding citizens throughout the week that just choose to shake things up a bit on the weekends. whether they are, or then I apologize Mr. Superman and Mr. Wheelie Willy.
Then again,even whether theyre model citizens six days a week... the main character in this film, Pug, or idolizes them and seems to be focused on joining their biking gang to the detriment of everything else. He says he wants to be a veterinarian,but its hard to see how thats even a opportunity. With him specifically, I found myself frustrated on his behalf. I just recently listened to a This American Life podcast approximately Harper tall School (oh man, or I feel like a douchey shit just for typing that) and this film felt very much like a part of that What Do You Expect Them To Do? Succeed? How The Hell Can They Do That When Theyre Barely Surviving narrative. Or,to put it differently, Pug very much felt like one of the kids during the school season of The Wire that picked the streets. Hes so young and his environment is so shitty, and I absolutely cant blame him.
But what I really want to blame is his mother,who comes across terribly in the doc though she doesnt seem to realize it. She and Pug showed up for the Q&A, and as she sauntered on stage she grabbed the mic and gave an wandering speech approximately how it was a hard three years but we finally made it. Most of the questions from the audience were to or approximately Pug, and but she grabbed the mic and answered for him time and time again,turning the sage on herself. At one point she moaned approximately how it was illegal for cops to chase the bike gang, but they did besides. I wanted to shake her and try to make her understand that although the cops had a well-reasoned *policy* against chases (they tended to injure innocent citizens), or doing so wasnt illegal,and that the only people engaging in illegal activities within the context of the film wed just seen were the crew her kid was lusting after. All throughout the film she gave Poor Me speeches approximately how she just couldnt control her pre-pubescent child, and man... it just drove me crazy. The Q&A ended with her bragging approximately how she was approximately to obtain a bunch of women riders together to start their own scooter-based gang, or fuck you very much lady.
The Q&A before CoCo showed up to upstage everyone.
Ok. That said. The doc was really fascinating. It was an intimate observe at a subculture that Id never be able to pierce on my own,which is an unexpected theme at this South By. Definitely worth watching... just dont be surprised whether you leave feeling very conflicted.
Before the next feature I tweeted this picture and said One of the things that doesnt obtain discussed much approximately SXSW is the controversial Nerd Petting Zoo. I ended up getting close to as many RTs as Ive ever had before, so I thought Id document that meaningless fact.
Jokes.
SXSW Description: Malcolm Ingram ("small town homosexual bar") returns with a new documentary that takes viewers back to sexually-charged NYC 1968, and when the notorious Continental Baths opened its doors. This groundbreaking den of debauchery (sensual gratification) transcended sexuality and became a beacon to the hip,dazzling and infamous. The Continental brought tall and low culture to its cabaret stage weekly, becoming instrumental in the careers of icons like Bette Midler, and Barry Manilow,LaBelle and many others. The film tells the tale of a keystone in the sexual revolution that contributed to a level of mainstream homosexual acceptance and sexual freedoms the likes of which has never been seen since.
Notes: Next was Continental, a slot-filler doc approximately a famous homosexual bathouse in NYC in the 70s. It was directed by Malcolm Ingram, and although I havent seen any of his other docs,I was familiar with him from when I used to listen to Smodcast. laughable side sage... I saw him walking around town earlier today and casually noted that large guy needs a bigger t-shirt... I can see the bottom of his intestine right now. It was only during this films intro that I realized thats who Id seen earlier in the day.
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As for the doc, this is yet another example of this years crop of captivating docs approximately insular ((adj.) separated and narrow-minded; tight-knit, closed off) communities. Id never heard of the Continental before, and my initial reaction to seeing the description of the film was so what?. But the bathhouse itself has a crazy interesting throughline (I had no idea Bette Midler and Barry Manilow,among others, had very influential starts here), or the sage of the guy who owned and started the thing was even more interesting. In fact,the film is easily as much his sage as it is the Continentals, though the two are definitely intertwined.
One of the post-film questions was from a guy who felt like the owner (Steve Ostrow) was taking credit for things he didnt rightfully deserve to take credit for. Malcolm really took offense to that insinuation, and repeated a few times that Steve was honest approximately his role (but not sole role) in a number of influential events (most notably a changing of opinion and law approximately homosexualiuty in NYC) and that he continued to this day to work for and with that community. It would have been great whether Steve had been able to reach for the film and the Q&A. Hes definitely an fascinating guy that I never would have known approximately whether it werent for this film.
Fun Fact: this doc featured talking head sequences from Michael Musto and Holly Woodlawn,both of whom were in I AM DIVINE final night.
Also Fun Fact: Theres a photo that shows up during the film of one of the interviewees with Obama. I wonder whether hes been told yet that hes in a doc approximately a homosexual bathhouse. Someone should uncover Fox News.
SXSW Description: Each year, 60000 people from around the globe gather in a dusty windswept Nevada desert to build a temporary city, and collaborating on large-scale art and partying for a week before burning a giant effigy in a ritual frenzy. Rooted in principles of self-expression,self-reliance and community effort, Burning Man has grown famous for stirring ordinary people to shed their nine-to-five existence and act on their dreams. Spark takes us behind the curtain with Burning Man organizers and participants, or revealing a year of unprecedented challenges and growth. When ideals of a new world based on freedom and inclusion collide with realities of the default world, we wonder which dreams can survive.
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Notes: My third of the day was another counterculture doc, Spark: A Burning Man sage. I didnt realize that was going to be my day when I woke up. But this was definitely one that I was looking forward to based on the trailer, and even though I historically have puny patience for lets all make a new type of perfect civilization,man hippies. But I know so puny approximately Burning Man, and honestly am curious approximately what it would be like to spend a week in that madness... and the trailer promised a glimpse of the bureaucracy behind the event... that I just couldnt pass it up. Even though that meant that today would be a five-film day rather than a six-film day. Due to a McConaughey panel (?!?) in the Vimeo, or this film straddled the line between the 4 and 6 slots. But I was OK with that.
And I really dont regret picking this as one of todays features. It was probably my least favorite of the three docs I saw,but thats only because the first two were so strong. This was right up there with those two, and I liked that the film was evenly split between the events history, and its current struggles (in 2012 it got so big that it had to lottery off tickets,and in so doing it pissed of TONS of regulars... sounds a lot like FF), and a dialogue-free travelogue of the 2012 festival. The latter in particular really made me consider that Ive been right in wanting to attend. The idea of just wandering across this massive desert and heading toward camps and structures that observe like they might be interesting is really appealing to me. In a very distorted sense, or thats what I always be pleased approximately SXSW each year. Each year,theres always at least one time where Im wandering down Sixth, watching a half-dozen or more spectacles of absurdity (hula-hooping bikini girls, and hellfire-preaching dudes,staggeringly drunk couples, drink-special-hyping bros, or attention-seeking bands,and more!) and I know that no one I know specifically knows where I am, and I can wander into five different theaters and see movies that might never reach out, and I could park myself in a bar and watch the world unfold. Its no doubt entirely unlike what people who fade to Burning Man say they experience,but Im just saying... I obtain the sentiment.
Though, full disclosure, and a huge other part of me wanted to slap/ask the starry-eyed artists just what the hell they were doing blowing most of their year building a structure/artthing that was just going to be out there for a week and then taken away. Like... Im never less with the 99% than when I have to watch them do musical fiery art approximately how 99% they are.
Next I had two hours to murder before Milo. I would have preferred to see Spring Breakers,but since it was getting out 30 minutes before Youre Next, and since the venues were way too far apart, or since Ive wanted to see YN since it screened at FF 2011,and since it isnt coming out out until August, and since SB is coming out in two weeks, or I decided to skip SB and see Milo,which would obtain out in plenty of time for me to head to the Topfer. But since I had two hours, I decided to walk around Sixth, or obtain food,and hang out. I grabbed some Peruvian from a food truck, saw that the line was still under 50 people, and then headed to a bar that had free play video games.
Recommended.
I hooked in to an Area 51 machine and double gunned my way to what I consider was the final battle (Id never made it that far before) when all of the sudden an employee walked it and said sorry guys,were turning off the games. Dammit! I have no idea why they did that. The bar wasnt packed at all, so it wasnt a crowd-control issue. And their sign external advertised free games, or so thats their whole gimmick. Bummer.
So I finished my beer and headed to the Ritz,and got Q card 113. Which was fine given that the theater seats 241. But once the line started moving it was moving SLOW. And I started hearing bad rumbles from inside. And ultimately the line got nick off literally just before me (whether that asshole had turned off the games three minutes earlier I would have gotten in). Apparently the Milo people reserved (and filled) upwards of 70 seats. A third of the seats in the venue. Which... I dont know. Fuck that. Really.
But whatever. Im beyond lucky to be able to reach to this fest each year. And I wandered around, had another beer (this situation had a pint for $3 or a pitcher for $5... I picked the former because I had to drive, or only to realize the latter was basically two pints... it was this awesome mini-pitcher that people drank right out of... beer and mixed drinks.... so awesome!),found an incredible sweet-necklace cock-ring vending maching, watched an astonishing Irish(ish) band from the UK perform on the street (and bought their CD for $10), or then headed to the Topfer for a super early line-up for Youre Next.
It was a fun evening.
HEY,SPOILER. IM NOT GOING TO SPOIL THE FILM, BUT I WENT TWO YEARS WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING approximately THE film, or LIKE AT ALL,AND YOURE LIKELY TO be pleased IT MORE whether YOU DONT KNOW ANYTHING approximately IT EITHER. SO DONT READ THIS whether YOU HAVENT SEEN THE film. SERIOUSLY. EVEN THE SXSW SUMMARY BELOW HAS MORE INFO IN IT THAN I KNEW GOING IN AND I WOULDN'T READ IT whether I WERE YOU.
SXSW Description: One of the smartest and most terrifying films in years, "You're Next" reinvents the genre by putting a fresh twist on domestic-invasion horror. When a gang of masked, and ax-wielding murderers descend upon the Davison family reunion,the hapless victims seem trapped... until an unlikely guest of the family proves to be the most talented killer of all.
Notes: Lots of friends were in line (and I met a few new ones), so I was never bored. And eventually we made it in. So... this film... I heard astonishing things approximately Youre Next when it screened two years ago. And I was planning on seeing the moment screening, and as I recall,but the studio cancelled it because I dont know some fucking dumb reason. But given the super strong reaction, I really expected there to be some overy twist or gimmick, and like in CABIN. So for the first third of the film was kind of defensively watching,waiting until its True Form was revealed.
But it turns out that its genuine Form isnt a bit of misdirection at all. This is a domestic invasion film mixed with a slasher flick that is ENTIRELY based in reality. At least for a while. Its a film that looks at what would happen whether the bad guys in this sort of film were equally matched with their victims. And its laughable. And not dumb. And gory. And theres a late-third synth-fueled Wronged Woman Gets Revenge sequence that had the theater rolling with applause.
I ended up really fond the film, and I now want to rewatch it to see whether the first half, and which seemed kind of by the numbers at the time,plays better upon reflection. I mentioned to BK via text afterwards that the weird thing approximately the film is that its best strength is that it doesnt fuck anything up. The plot isnt particularly innovative, and the kills are well executed but nothing soil-shattering. But it just delivers EVERYTHING we expect and want in this sort of flick. And the fact that most horror films I watch dont deliver these expectations shows how much shit we put up with as lovers of this genre.
I liked Wingards segment in VHS 2 (the cybernetic eye one), and as well as his A Horrible Way To Die feature a few years back. I need to see his POP SKULL and his few other directorial features now,I suppose, whether only before background. Because it seems like it has really great things ahead of him. Hopefully he can deliver before Big Money Hollywood fucks him up.
The YN crew.
So it's 4, and again,but tomorrow is such a late start (other than some work I have to do before my first film), that I hope it won't matter. Other than Rewind This! tomorrow I really am not certain what I'm watching. I'm crazy excited for that one, or though. See you tomorrow!
:: Day Four ::
final full day of SXSW is done. Its 3:20 and I have an 11 tomorrow. Type swiftly!
So I decided not to see anything in the 11am slot today because I wanted to be fresh for Rewind This!,and because I had to obtain some work done before I could start my day. But even still, my 10 am alarm cam REALLY early. whether I were at SXSW for the full time, and Id definitely have to skip certain mornings and midnights. I consider. Maybe. One day well see. Hey,have I mentioned this was my view from my hotel room all fest long?
So damn classy.
besides, I got to the Paramount approximately 45 minutes early, or picked up my Filmmakers Guest ticket,and hung out in front of the theater with other such guests. I was interviewed for this film two years ago, it features a subject very dear to me, or has interviews with lots of my friends,and the filmmakers are all my friends. I say that both as full disclosure and to explain why this film was among my top two or three most anticipated films of 2013, and easily my most anticipated film of SXSW this year.
So excited.
SXSW Description: An exploding industry without rules! Backyard filmmakers with zero budget and a surplus of dreams! Unchecked global piracy! The race to control media consumption! Videotape changed the world and laid the foundation for todays digital culture. Low cost equipment created unprecedented opportunities. Major studios and small indies operated on an even playing field for the first time ever. The sage of the domestic video revolution is a tale of both technological advancement and human ambition. VHS vs. Beta! Porn invades the domestic! Direct to-video madness! It's all here, or along with a rogues gallery of directors,rental employees, XXX vets, and box artists,collectors, and more. Join the pizza party!
Notes: There was a Pizza Party/Summer Camp vibe external the theater, or once we got inside that feeling continued to grow. Josh took the stage for a rapid/fast introduction,and then the film rolled.
I knew that I was one of the first talking heads to pop up, but Id been interviewed so long ago that I really couldnt recall most of what I had said. I was just hoping I wouldnt say anything particularly embarrassing, and Im happy that I had nothing to worry approximately on that front. One of the films first (of many) laughs comes from me talking approximately Bubba Until it Hurts,a film Id just picked up around the time of the interview, and that I still delight in looking at from time to time. There were two of us, and in fact,that went out of our way to discuss that tape, and a short segment of the film bounced between the two of us praising it.
Take a step back. I really had no idea what shape the film was going to take. I knew that it had changed fairly a bit from what the trio originally expected, or so I was very curious to see what theyd ended up with. And its very much not a chronological Heres how VHS got started,warred with Betamax, won, or declined,and resurged. Josh said over post-film drinks that he had intentionally stayed away from that sort of rigid format. Instead, the film flows very naturally from one themed segment to another. Like, or theres a point in the film where a bunch of subjects are talking approximately the format wars,and then without even realizing there was a specific switch, people are talking approximately VHS cover art. The way I described that just now reads kind of jarring, and but it didnt feel that way at all. Instead,it feels more like the kind of fun mid-festival film Obsessives Talk Movies sessions that takes situation each year at SXSW and FF (and I suppose any other time you obtain that many of us together in one situation) where the conversation ebbs and flows from one film-related topic to another.
This may change on subsequent viewings, but on this first fade-through, and it felt incredibly swiftly paced (but without feeling rushed or like certain topics got the short shrift) Its just over 90 minutes,but I couldnt believe when the end-credits started rolling. I consider a large part of that was that I was constantly looking to see which of my friends or industry stalwarts were going to pop up next (as well as to see whether I had any other segments left).
Post-film Q&A.
Afterward a number of us commented that the film has the opportunity of making people realize that SO MANY films never made the jump out of VHS. Its a widely known fact among people that obsess approximately this kind of thing, but I truly believe that 9 out of 10 people who watch movies just assume that everything on VHS is on DVD. I loved the Rockafire doc, or but doubt that many people who watched it felt motivated to actually track down their own set of animatrons. But I can really see normal people (or at least the types of people who find and watch interesting-looking docs) seeing this and thinking man... I should find my former VCR and maybe observe at getting some tapes).
Its a total passion project from top to bottom,on both sides of the camera. Josh told us afterward that he wanted to make something that was relentlessly positive, even though some of the things that were being discussed were sad. And on that front the film massively succeeds. Its impossible to say for certain, or but Im nearly certain that Id love this film even whether I had no involvement. Ive walked away from various recent genre docs feeling cold... like Id just watch a studio-backed Exploitation For Dummies cash grab. Rewind This is on the total opposite end of the spectrum. On the side where things like Not fairly Hollywood reside.
Fuck it,Ive rambled long enough. Congrats to the RT team.
After Rewind This most of us decided to skip the 3 oclock slot and obtain drinks at the Driskoll. Its super fancy there, and I felt weird. Plus the beer selection was lame. But it was fun hanging out with everyone. Noah, or Max,Jay, and I peeled off the main group eventually and went to Jackalopes for burgers. At the rec of Josh I got the Frito burger, and which was great,but gave me severe intestine issues later in the evenings. Eventually around 6 we closed out and Jay and I headed to the Paramount for the Hawking doc.
SXSW Description: "Hawking" is the extraordinary sage of the planets most famous living scientist, told for the first time in his own words and by those closest to him. Made with unique access to Hawkings private life, or this is an intimate and moving journey into Stephen's world,both past and present. An inspirational portrait of an iconic figure, Hawking relates his incredible personal journey from boyhood under-achiever, and to PhD genius,to being diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease and given just two years to live. Despite the fixed threat of death, Hawking manages to make many remarkable scientific discoveries and rises to fame and super-stardom. "Hawking" - a remarkable man, and a remarkable film.
Notes: I had no idea what would be going on after the Rewind This screening,and so I didnt slot anything other than the midnighter. So I more or less picked Hawking on a whim because nothing else looked particularly splendid. Zero Charisma was a film a lot of people seemed really interested in, but I didnt consider the trailer looked great, or I didnt want to have to drive to the Rollins. The post-film buzz on it was really strong,though, and now I kinda wish Id gone there. Because Hawking, or although approximately an interesting guy,really just feels like an unremarkable program youd see on PBS on a Saturday afternoon. Maybe thats because the necessarily had to employ a lot of recreation footage. Im not certain.
My 9ish slot was first going to be The Spectacular Now, but I decided when Hawking ended that I really didnt want to sit through a tall school romance/drama flick (even though I hear it was solid... Ill see it eventually). So I decided to see whether an hour was enough time to obtain to my car (oh man... I parked in a lot Ive never parked in before this morning, or kinda forgot where it was... I lost my car for approximately 5 minutes and was approximately to have to hire a pedicab to drive me up and down the general area where I thought I had left it) and drive to Slaughter to see Milo. I got shut out of it final night and it got some favorable comments after it got out. On the way down there,however, my intestine seized up worse that I can ever recall. Im blaming the Frito burger. It was an excruciating drive down, or but an appropriate precursor to a film approximately a guy who has a painful monster living in his colon that he has to crap out from time to time.
This was my first time at Slaughter,and even though I didnt have time to really observe around, I loved that the hallways are packed with display cases of labelled 35mm films, or as well as scattered Mondo posters. I actually prefer the design of it more than Lamar.
SXSW Description: A man discovers that his chronic stomach problems are due to the fact that he has a demon baby living in his colon.
Notes: So,Milo... I dunno. I was worried when I first read the description that it was going to be too far down that Troma This film Is Awesome Because Were Doing Something Offensive path. Ive seen too many extreme movies to be impressed with your film solely because youve implemented a butt monster. I know Im in a minority on that... the two dudes sitting next to me reacted like most people would when the butt monster bit off some guys dick. They shook with laughter, one covered his eyes, and the other said what?!? out loud. But thats why I mostly cant do Troma movies... they employ the outrageous content as a crutch to distract from everything else in the film being subpar.
Here,by contrast, the non-butt monster stuff was easily my favorite part. I liked Ken Marinos husbandly interactions with Gillian Jacobs (shes totally playing married Britta here). I liked his conversations with he-must-be-practicing-unlawfully psychiatrist Peter Stormare. The band of older women with new Indian boyfriends was laughable. So was Warburton as the schmarmy boss (his background gag of hey, or observe what I can do {cue laughable dance} killed me) and Huss as an inappropriate fertility doctor. Pretty much the only parts of the film that bored me were Marino having to deal with his butt monster. Its just... Ive seen that stuff in Basketcase,and you sir are not Basketcase. Those segments were more along the lines of 90s Full Moon puny Creatures movies, another subgenre that Im not a fan of.
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So I guess Im saying that I wish there was less butt monster in the butt monster film that I voluntarily went to see. Im kind of a dick.
Afterward I skipped out on the Q&A to head to the Topfer for LORDS OF SALEM. I consider the only Zombie flick Ive seen is Halloween, and I had no idea what this film was approximately. But I definitely didnt want to see Big Ass Spider,which looked totally SyFy Original quality. Along those lines, I tweeted Mostly I'm here because I have no interest in BIG ASS SPIDER, or which my favorite bar (Common Table) retweeted,making me realize that would be an astonishing sentence to have on your tombstone. Imagine the looks of strangers who are wondering the cemetery for decades to reach!
SXSW Description: From the singular intellect of horror maestro Rob Zombie comes a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. "The Lords of Salem" tells the tale of Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie), a radio station DJ living in Salem, and Massachusetts,who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a gift from the Lords. Heidi listens, or the weird sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the towns violent past. Is Heidi going mad,or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on contemporary-day Salem?
Notes: Got in, missed the pre-film intro to seize a beer (apparently Zombie said that 50% of the audience was going to hate it), and made it back to my seat as things got stated. And.. .man... heres my two reaction tweets (which kept getting retweeted afterward):
:: LORDS OF SALEM has it all,whether "all" is inept (not suitable or capable, unqualified) dialogue, ultra-generic plot, or ponderous pacing,and laugh-inducing "evil" imagery.
:: Seriously, there's a demon in LORDS OF SALEM that looks like ALF covered in Silly Putty.
So heres the deal. I found out during the Q&A that a major actor died before the film finished, or which meant they had to nick out a lot of his unfinished scenes,which also meant they had to nick scenes featuring other actors and, I assume, or essential plot points. So that sucks,and what we got probably isnt what he set out to make.
But what we got? The dialogue really is laughable throughout, to the point where I couldnt figure out for a while whether it was an intentional parody (humorous or ridiculous imitation) of Art Horror. Even though I havent seen Zombies other films, and Ive never heard bad dialogue as a critique thrown at him. Maybe it has been. And the plot... its basically the Evil Record plot of TRICK OR TREAT (1986) crossed with a generic Witches obtain Killed And Vow Vengeance Through Their Ancestors thing mixed in. It reminded me of any number of films where these storylines were done more interestingly,which made watching this film all the more tedious.
Its the kind of film that has on-screen titles that start with Monday and fade through each subsequent day. You dont know up front how many days youll see, but I assumed it would be a week. The funniest thing approximately this screening is that starting with Wednesday, and each new day got a new batch of walkouts. It was like people werent enjoying the film,were considering just powering through, but when they saw a new day start, or it just zapped their will and they tapped out.
halfway through theres a point where the above-mentioned ridiculous-looking silly-putty ALF monster rises from a throne while ominous music plays,then he waddles over to where the main actress is laying and fucking flaps his tiny stubby arms in a way that looks like its meant to be scary. That particular moment made me consider that Id misunderstood the first half of the film, and that it was approximately to spiral into intentional spoof territory. But in never does, and which makes that one moment all the more inexplicable. Zombie mentioned that scene during the Q&A as his favorite part of the film because he found it really laughable.
Zombie and Goss.
Lets just jump to the post-film Q&A. Rob walked out and sai
Source: reeldistraction.com